1. Take care of yourself: get enough sleep, eat healty food at regular intervals, keep up with (or start) an exercise routine, pace yourself. Take time out to relax and allow your soul to catch up with your body.

2. Make choices based on your own values. Know what your priorities are. Give up the shoulds, oughts, have-to's, etc. Let go of the things that aren't important to you, and brace yourself for the flack, if need be. Find ways to honor others without having their (or your own) demands exhaust you.

3. Expect things not to turn out perfectly. The holidays are full of Soul and Soul always brings the Trickster. Welcome - even anticipate - the Trickster; remember that today's screw-ups are often tomarrow's fond memories.

5. Expect some family tensions and conflicts, but don't take them seriously. Practice kindness at home first. Forgive the hurts and wounds that are inevitable in families and friendships. Remember that forgiveness is for you, not for them. Forgiveness releases the hurt (without revenge) so YOU can heal, whether or not the other party acknowledges the need for it.

6. Don't try to do it all yourself. You'll end up resentful and exhausted. Delegate responsibilities, or better yet, let everything choose something to do that's important to them, and let the rest go.

7. Lighten up! Have some fun, and do little things to bring the magic of the holidays into your life, and the lives of those imporant to you. Remember that the holidays are about love, hope, and new beginnings for everyone.

Sharon Barnes is the Scraplady - she helps people create beauty & benefit from life's scraps.